Page 71 of Rake

“Babe,” Kieran says, stroking her hair. “Come on, let’s go sit down.”

Her eyes are rimmed with red, and I think she’s grieving for several different reasons too.

“I like him, too,” I say. “Will you let me know when he’s out?”

She nods, Kieran leading her out of the room.

“All of Carney’s kids are absurdly good-looking.” Jamilah says, shaking her head. “Don’t know how he managed that when he’s such a rancid piece of shit.”

I laugh, and it feels good to know I still can.

Jamilah stays for a while longer, then heads back home to her daughter. Benjamin sleeps in the chair next to my bed. I wish I could sleep anywhere like he can. He doesn’t want to go home, and I don’t blame him. I awkwardly type up an email on my phone and send it to my boss and send a separate one to Alannah Brecht at the Globe.

I doze off for a while, and stir when I hear someone come in. It’s Kieran.

“Hey,” he says. “Finn’s out of surgery. He’s going to be fine.”

“Thank you.”

“I don’t like Finn,” Kieran blurts out. “I mean, I didn’t like him. My family and the Carneys don’t exactly get along.”

So I heard.

“He’s always been a smug, slimy creep.” The edge to Kieran’s voice softens. “But I love Siobhan and I trust her. And she says something big’s changed with him over the past week. Little Birdie said so, too. Bridget, I mean.”

Interesting nickname. If Kieran knew what Finn’s father had done to him, I wonder if he’d be so quick to judge. He seems like a kind man, so I’m guessing not, but I still bristle at his harsh words even though I know it’s not his fault.

“I’m guessing that has something to do with you.” Kieran shoots me a crooked grin. “And I heard the casino workers unionized today? That’ll fuck ol’ Jimbo right up. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.”

I bark out a laugh at James Carney being styled as Jimbo.

“It’s not easy,” Kieran continues, “being with someone whose family is such a goddamn mess. Though I guess Siobhan probably feels the same way about me.”

“My family’s a mess, too. Well, my father, anyway.”

“But she’s worth it.” He goes starry-eyed, and then grins sheepishly at me. “I’m not making any assumptions about you, but…Jesus, I’m running my mouth off. He’ll be out for the rest of the night, probably. But he’s okay. Have a good night, Sasha.”

I thank him, and when I fall asleep again, I don’t have any bad dreams.

I’m released from the hospital early the next morning and go to see Finn before I leave. He looks paler than normal. There are a bunch of people in his room, including his father, who stares blankly at me. My brother’s downstairs waiting for an Uber. I’m on my own.

“Hey,” Finn says softly. “You okay?”

I walk through the glut of people, ignoring his father, and reach for his hand.

“I’m fine. Just a concussion and some cracked ribs and this.” I point to the bruises and lacerations on my face.

He reaches up and strokes the one over my eyebrow. “We match.”

“Yeah,” I say. “We do.”

“Congratulations on the results of your election, Miss Saunders,” James says coolly. “I look forward to working with you.”

“About that.” I squeeze Finn’s hand. “I’m afraid we’re going to ask for an intermediary given your history of retaliation against your employees. The janitor you threatened? He contacted my office and reported your coercion to find the name of the lead organizer on the staff side, whom you subsequently fired. We’ll hold off on a lawsuit if you agree to our terms. And you should, because if you don’t the Spotlight team from the Globe will be all over this, and I have one hell of a story to share with them.”

The story I had shared with Alannah wasn’t quite sexy enough to publish as it is but serves a different purpose. I told her about Finn saving my brother’s life, which would strengthen his position in his family and allow for some distance from his manipulative father.

If James Carney didn’t acquiesce, Finn would be spared some of the worst of the public opinion fallout. I’d given Alannah enough to be interested should I need to go with the nuclear option. Someone at the Globe will ask James for an interview, alerting him to the danger inherent in further harassment of me, my brother, his employees, and hopefully his son.

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